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expanding my library

I’m a Borders Rewards member, so I periodically get really good coupons from them, like 40% of any one book purchased March 31st-April 1st. Yup, two days, that’s all I get. One of my 43 things (if I was (or ever do get) on 43 things) is to build a personal library. So even though I have plenty of books I haven’t read, I am going to use the coupon to buy a new book, only I thought it would be interesting to let my Twitter friends weigh in on the purchase decision.

This is what they said (accompanied by short descriptions/reviews, interesting and/or relevant links, and recommender comments…all included for your benefit should you happen to be looking for a new book with which to whittle away your non-existent free time).

“Fast food is so ubiquitous that it now seems as American, and harmless, as apple pie. It is industry of consolidation, homogenization, and speed has radically transformed America’s health, landscape, culture, economy, and workforce, often in insidiously destructive ways. Eric Schlosser’s exposé addresses the vertical chain from in-store experience to meatpacking.

An autobiography composed entirely of anecdotes recounting adventures in trading ideas on both physics and gambling, painting nudes, and accompanying a ballet on bong drums. One reviewer calls Nobel Prize-winning physicist Richard P. Feynman selection of commentary fiercely independent, intolerant of stupidity, and unafraid to offend while also revealing of the sources and expressions of authentic knowledge.

Gladwell’s theory of social dynamics likens mass behavioral change to epidemics triggered by minor alterations in the environment or a small number of people who act as connectors, mavens, and salesmen.

Psarouthakis focuses on a incremental approach to success. “It is human desire to get better” and possible for both companies and individuals to grow in very positive ways by defining what it means to be “best” and focusing on continual improvement.

source(s): very few and very vague sources, thus potentially a bunch of BS.)

A book about ‘lifestyle design’, or more simply, balancing work and play. There are plenty of books on this subject, and perhaps many address the same principles, but The 4 Hour Workweek centers on leveraging modern technologies for a full-spectrum of business activity, financial management, and communications. It has been called a manifesto for the mobile lifestyle.

* @shalerjump hasn’t actually read The 4 Hour Workweek, but finds the discussion points interesting. @chuckreynolds seconded the recommendation, that is if you consider purchase and intent to read equivalent to a recommendation.

The focus here seems to be less on the “crude, desperate glad-handing usually associated with the word ‘networking’” and more about the building of mutually-beneficial relationships. Among the key principles: never keep score, ‘ping’ constantly, remember names and birthdays, don’t fear vulnerability, look for mentors and become one yourself, and of course, never eat alone.

Anastasia, the first book in the series, begins the recounting of Megre’s trip to the Siberian taiga in 1995. The tales revolve around the spiritual phenomena connected with sacred ‘ringing cedar’ trees, believe to connect humanity to the Divine, and learnings bestowed by a woman named Anastasia on subjects as diverse as gardening, child-rearing, healing, Nature, sexuality, religion and more.

It came down to Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman and Never Eat Alone. The former was out-of-stock and also too inexpensive (the coupon had a minimum $20 purchase requirement), so I ended up with Never Eat Alone. Probably won’t start it for a couple of weeks though.

I can heartily recommend the Feynman book. It’s entertaining and the bit on Cargo Cult Science (based on an address Feynman gave at Caltech) is brilliant for anyone interested in pseudoscience or woolly thinking. Shame it was out-of-stock and too inexpensive for the voucher.